A British RC-135 ‘Rivet Joint’, a dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft, is undertaking a mission to gather intelligence on Russian forces in Ukraine and Belarus.

The UK has long been gathering intelligence about the build-up of Russian forces and also their movements in Ukraine since the invasion. It should be noted that these flights are designed to be visible so that the public and Russia know they’re happening. If it was a secret, I would not know. Also, for those remarking ‘this isn’t new’, that’s right but people only know this happens often because it is reported often.

The aircraft isn’t likely to enter Ukraine and will instead watch from the border whilst flying in Polish airspace.

British surveillance aircraft being over the area isn’t unusual but we are seeing a significant increase in the frequency of the flights over the last few weeks for obvious reasons. American assets are also present.

What does the RC-135W do?

According to the Royal Air Force website, the RC-135W Rivet Joint is a dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft that can be employed in all theatres on strategic and tactical missions. Its sensors ‘soak up’ electronic emissions from communications, radar and other systems.

“RC-135W Rivet Joint employs multidiscipline Weapons System Officer (WSO) and Weapons System Operator (WSOp) specialists whose mission is to survey elements of the electromagnetic spectrum in order to derive intelligence for commanders.”

The Royal Air Force say that Rivet Joint has been deployed extensively for Operation Shader and on other operational taskings. It had been formally named Airseeker, but is almost universally known in service as the RC-135W Rivet Joint.

The UK operates three of these aircraft.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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38 COMMENTS

  1. Lets hope it’s got a couple of Typhoons escorting it that can be vectored in quickly if it gets into trouble

    • I would second that, hot headed Russian pilots could easily get out out of control.

      They know very well we are handing over actionable intelligence to the Ukrainians, so the temptation and pressure to ‘aggressively shepherd’ an RC135 away will be growing.

      It’s a potential NATO/ Russian flashpoint….

        • Given the extent to which I believe we are spoofing their GPS etc I wouldn’t say their (Russian) knowledge of where the border is could altogether be relied upon.

          I think it may be an excuse for the more hot headed to shoot first and apologise later

          Shame we can’t argue we thought the 40km convoy North of Kiev was somewhere in Poland.

        • HI Andrew, The Soviet Union did shoot-down many NATO “spy-aircraft” along its borders during the old Cold War (including an RAF Lincoln bomber).

          • That was back in the 50s wasn’t it. It was very controversial because it was actually in the corridor between west Germany and Berlin.

          • Hi Louis – Yes, that’s right, during 1953, in the Berlin corridor.

            In total, there were about 25 Western military aircraft shot-down along the borders of the old USSR (more if you include China, North Korea and Soviet satellite states).

            There’s a great site on the subject called: “The Spyflight Website”. (I would normally paste the URL, but in doing so, comments often seem to get moderated! But you can Google it successfully with that description).
            You can read about the epic RAF reconnaissance flights deep into the Soviet Union during 1952 and 1954, and the mysterious Canberra incursion over Kapustin Yar (the Soviet missile test-site, its “Peenemunde”) in 1953. Enjoy!

    • I would imagine it will be very far from the border of Ukraine. If Russia. did attack it that’s an article 5 trigger at that point.

  2. Wish we could send more. This feels like more than an attack on just Ukraine. It feels more like an attack on the civilised world as a whole.

    Seeing the actions of Russia fills me with anger and I could quite happily join the Ukrainians in fighting this evil, and evil is what it is.

    I won’t do that though, I have kids here and it would be irresponsible to leave them, if circumstances were different though I really do feel angered enough to join the effort. I never thought I’d feel that way about a “foreign war”.

    As for mad vlad and his threats and the effects sanctions will have on me, he can go f&%# himself, I back whatever it takes to see this vile cancer on humanity removed from power with a bullet in his head, no matter what it takes, it needs doing. I for one won’t back down. I suspect I’m one of an overwhelming majority.

      • Lol, thankfully I ain’t in the US. I admire a lot about that country, but not its political system. Not that the UKs is anything to boast about at this time 😔

  4. ‘The UK operates three of these aircraft.’ – there would have been a time when the RAF would have had three squadrons, not just three of such aircraft. This asset is being worked extremely hard, clearly its capability is essential. Firt thing on my shopping list would be to ‘lease’ three more from the US, who might welcome someone sharing the workload. Second on the list would be a similar deal to lease another 6 P8s, and challenge the RAF to set up a second squadron as if a wartime scenario.

    • Even in the Cold War when the RAF was huge compared to now and through to the Nimrod and now Rivet Joint we operate 3 ELINT aircraft.

      Save the money, these assets are fine. Make the P8 first on your list though and add ASM on fast jets.

      • I’m a long-time lurker, very occasional poster, and know you are well informed, Daniele, and well meaning. My point is, that we only have three, they are going to be worked very, very hard in the coming weeks, and this will shorten their life, get three more in now, when Treasury can not say no to a very specific buy … but sure let’s make it second on the list after P8s… [and slip in a purchase note for those two extra wedgetails that got cut when WW3 was less imminent ]

        • Hi Sisyphus!

          Good to know mate. Fair comment. Our limited assets will only be worked even harder now won’t they.

          There is quite a list of gaps that need filling and cuts that need reversing.

        • I would prefer to see the kit put into a newer aircraft if we were to request another 3. I imagine A330 would be the preferred aircraft. Hopefully they have enough electrical generation capacity. A350 would also be a good choice but it is a bit of an unknown in a military service.
          Cheapest option is to piggy back onto whatever the yanks replace there’s with. KC-46 airframe, if A330 wins KC-Y maybe they go for that. Or perhaps they will try to put it into whatever KC-Z turns out to be.
          The fact the flights are always on display so to speak I don’t know if a stealth tanker would be necessary.
          I don’t know if the P-8 airframe would be large enough or suitable. Electronics are really small today but I’ve no idea what kit is in these planes or what they require size wise

          • Especially as the KC135 we bought and converted, despite being the youngest the US had, already had 20 or 30 thousand flight hours

        • they are re-built 707s so pretty ancient albeit it totally rebuilt. i think they can just go on for ever with the right maintenance. the electronics becoming obsolete will likely be the bigger limitation to their futures

      • People like you and me will pay, if you really need an answer, as defence of the realm is the first duty of government, or would you prefer we do nothing?

        Just to add to my shopping list, I would insist on the immediate reversal of the stupifying decision to cut tranche1 Typhoons, 16 can be used to continue to focus on QRA, the rest used for parts, until replaced by an order of 36 tranche 4 becoming operational …

        that is all…

        • Hi Sisyphus, In respect of spares (often a bug-bear with British aircraft) – the RAF has already broken down most of the two-seat Typhoons for that purpose.

    • Very. But other NATO assets are also there so won’t have made much difference as such. In an all British operation on the other hand, priceless.

    • Quite a lot, the US has deployed its E8 JSTARS. Another capability the UK has allowed to wither. We can’t keep depending on allies, sovereign capability is worth having.

  6. I would urge everyone who wants to support Ukraine, to put a Ukraine flag in their front window. You can print the blue & yellow from internet images. I got mine from wiki. In this age of hybrid warfare, a mass of blue & yellow in Britain, helps lift morale in Ukraine.

  7. If there are any US A10 pilots in Europe on standby they must be chomping at the bit seeing that column of slow moving bottle neck russian armour….

    • Duuno about A10 – but how slow they are Im sure a Gladiator would do a job ….or a Typhoon – an original one.

      • If only Ukraine could be given assistance sooner, if they could strike back with mass fire effect artillery of maybe some more Turkish drones. Iv just seen a video of civilians taking on a Russian jeep on mass and the courage and resolve of the Ukrainian people has my up most respect.

  8. There are lots of reports including intercepts on the very poor comms systems in use by the Russians. Battalion and Brigade level nets using unencrypted HF channels. Frontline units have been found using civilian handheld walkie talkies and mobile phones to communicate because they have nothing else.

    A quick search and you can even find the frequencies the russians are using to listen in on. Unsurprisingly any frequencies that are used are being jammed immediately. The old favourite of taping down the transmit button on a mic and placing a noise source next to it is being used to great effect( My personal fav was an electric razor…they are really annoying on a comms net).

    Rivet Joints must be having a field day on the comms nets and doing mobile phone intercepts

    • Can the Rivet Joints jam Russian coms too? I suspect they can. I imagine if that is the case it is being used to as much effect as possible as that is something we can actively do to help.

      • Better ask an RAF type that… I only dealt with things on wet crinkly stuff.

        I do remember playing with an E6 Intruder during some exercises . It didn’t matter what you did on the comms net it found your frequency jammed it and/or spoofed it within a minute of you kicking the channel.

        I would expect things are even better now.

        • Radio waves are part of the EM spectrum in the same way as light is – people are used to ‘tuning’ in their radios, so it is in the consciousness that you can only focus on ‘a little bit’ of radio at a time; but in the same way if someone shines a blue light at you and then red, you can see them both (your eyes don’t need to ‘tune’ between the two), it the same with radio, you can get a dongle for your laptop that can show you the entire broadcasts spectrum as kind of waterfall effect – and you can see all broadcasts by intensity strength.

          That’s home electronics, I can only imagine a Prowler would have had several more advanced versions of such things (and probably even the Druts would have had similar before it), and much more besides. And the crew of a Rivet Joint probably reach into the realms of USS Enterprise.

          I am sure we knew the state of Russian comms before this all started, I wonder how much work was put into a) jamming, but even better b) using their poor comms to sow disorder.

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